An apparatus for transporting and processing a plurality of articles includes a transport loop including a plurality of carrier bars and a plurality of pockets formed between adjacent ones of the carrier bars. The articles are laterally, longitudinally and rotationally positioned within the pockets at a predetermined position. The articles may be pharmaceutical tablets or capsules. The carrier bars may follow a curvilinear path including a non-linear path portion and a substantially linear path portion. The pockets between adjacent carrier bars are open and able to receive the articles when the adjacent carrier bars are at the non-linear path portion, and are closed and tightly grasp the articles when the adjacent carrier bars are at the substantially linear path portion. The apparatus can be used to manufacture shaped edible articles having a non-planar portion that receive serially registered component images from first and second printers. The first and second component images are formed in registration with one another to form a composite image even though the non-planar portion is spaced from the printing plane by variable distances.
|
11. A method for transporting a plurality of articles, comprising:
introducing a plurality of said articles into a plurality of pockets formed between adjacent carrier bars, each pocket receiving a different one of said articles; tightly grasping said articles between said carrier bars so as to laterally, longitudinally and rotationally position said articles within the pockets at a predetermined position, a portion of a surface of each article being exposed; and transporting the articles while tightly grasped.
5. An apparatus for transporting a plurality of articles, the apparatus comprising:
a transport loop comprising a plurality of carrier bars, at least one cavity formed in an edge of each carrier bar at a position such that, when the carrier bar is at a position adjacent to another carrier bar, at least one pocket is formed between the adjacent carrier bars, said pockets each laterally, longitudinally and rotationally tightly grasping a different one of said articles at a predetermined position such that a portion of a surface of each article is exposed.
1. An apparatus for forming a registered image on an article, the apparatus comprising:
means for introducing an article into a shaped pocket formed between two adjacent carrier bars that follow a curvilinear path; means for laterally, longitudinally and rotationally positioning the article such that the article occupies a predetermined position within the shaped pocket; means for transporting the article to a substantially linear portion of the curvilinear path so that the two adjacent carrier bars tightly grasp the article in said predetermined position; means for forming, at a first printing position, a first component of a composite image on the article while in the predetermined position; means for forming, at a second printing position downstream of the first printing position, a second component of said composite image on the article while in the predetermined position, said first and second composite images being substantially registered with one another; and means for maintaining the article in the predetermined position within the shaped pocket while the article is at and transported between the first and second positions.
2. A method for forming a registered image on an article, the method comprising:
forming an article receiving pocket between two adjacent carrier bars that follow a curvilinear path; introducing an article into the pocket along a substantially non-linear portion of the curvilinear path; laterally, longitudinally and rotationally positioning the article such that the article occupies a predetermined position within the pocket; transporting the article to a substantially linear portion of the curvilinear path so that the two adjacent carrier bars tightly grasp the article in said predetermined position; forming a first component of a composite image on the article while in the predetermined position at a first printing station; transporting the article to a second printing station downstream of the first printing station; maintaining the article in the predetermined position within the shaped transporting recess while the article is at and transported between the first and second stations; and forming a second component of said composite image on the article while the article is in the predetermined position, said first and second composite images being substantially registered with one another.
3. The method according to
4. The method according to
6. The apparatus according to
7. The apparatus according to
8. The apparatus according to
9. The apparatus according to
10. The apparatus according to
12. The method according to
13. The method according to
14. The method according to
15. The method according to
|
This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 09/326,672 filed Jun. 7, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,876. The entire disclosure of the prior application(s) is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for transporting a plurality of articles. In particular, this invention relates to a method and apparatus in which a plurality of articles are introduced into article receiving pockets that releasably clamp the article in a predetermined position. One or more processes can be performed on the article while it is maintained in the predetermined position. For example, the invention can be applied to pharmaceutical capsules or tablets which are positioned within pockets of a conveyer loop in a predetermined position to receive a series of drilled holes which act as a time-release mechanism. In addition, the apparatus and method according to illustrative embodiments of the invention can be applied to printing multiple colors on edible or non-edible articles in registered relationship to one another.
This invention also relates to a shaped edible or non-edible article including a composite image formed on a non-planar portion of the article having first and second component images that are of different color and serially registered with respect to one another.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,801 to Ackley describes the method and apparatus for conveying a plurality of pellet-shaped articles, such as pharmaceuticals. The conveyer conveys the pharmaceuticals past one or more article modifying devices, such as a laser that forms in the pharmaceuticals drilled or blind bore holes that act as a mechanical time-release mechanism. Lasers are known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,771, incorporated herein by reference. However, the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,801 may not be suitable if the pharmaceutical is required to have a plurality of holes drilled therein because the pharmaceuticals vibrate and move as they are being conveyed on the conveyer. Moreover, the systems disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,801 are not suitable to process articles on which two or more coordinated processes are to be performed on the article in a registered or precise fashion. For example, the system in this U.S. patent is not suitable for serially printing first and second component images of composite image in registered relationship to one another. Moreover, the system in U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,801 is at best usable for printing first and second images on first and second sides of an article, but the images are on opposite sides of the article are not in registered relationship to one another. Moreover, systems such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,433,146, 5,768,996 and 5,836,243, all incorporated herein by reference, are not suited for carrying out a coordinated series of printing operations, because the first printing operation causes the articles to move within the article receiving pockets, so that any processing following the first printing operation will not be in registered relationship with the first printing operation. Furthermore, there are no means provided in this latter group of patents for maintaining the articles in a predetermined lateral, longitudinal and rotational position during serial printing.
International Application WO/97/16075 shows a method and apparatus for printing on flat confectionery products, such as bubblegum. Flat sheets of bubblegum are situated in recesses having dimensions larger than that of the flat sheets of bubblegum. A guide rail is used to laterally shift the bubblegum sheets against the common side of the recess before printing, but no means are provided to prevent rotational or longitudinal shifting because the recesses are larger than the bubblegum and the bubblegum can be shifted when the printer contacts the bubblegum. The recesses do not position the bubblegum in a predetermined lateral, longitudinal and rotational position. In addition, an additional mechanical hold down member and/or vacuum is required to hold the bubblegum in position while traveling through the various processing stations, such as a dedusting station.
Illustrated embodiments of the invention are directed to methods and apparatuses for transporting and processing a plurality of articles. The articles are clamped or fixed in a predetermined lateral, longitudinal and rotational position while being conveyed. One or more processes can be performed on the article while it is maintained in the predetermined position. For example, the article can be clamped between two adjacent carrier bars of a conveyer loop such that a laser drill can drill a plurality of laser holes in precise locations on the article. In addition, the articles can be held in a fixed or clamped position while being conveyed past multiple processing stations that are coordinated with one another, such as first and second printing stations that print first and second component images of a composite image in serially registered relationship with one another.
In illustrative embodiments of the invention, an apparatus is provided for transporting and processing a plurality of articles. The apparatus comprises a transport loop having a plurality of carrier bars and a plurality of pockets formed between adjacent ones of the carrier bars. The articles are laterally, longitudinally and rotationally positioned within the pockets at a predetermined position such that a portion of the articles is exposed. The articles may be exposed while protruding from the carrier bars or recessed within the pockets. At least a first processing station in a first position along the transport loop performs the first operation on the exposed portion of the articles while within the pockets in the predetermined position. The articles may be pharmaceutical tablets or capsules and the first processing station may be a drill that creates a series of drilled holes on the pharmaceutical tablet that serve as a mechanical time-release mechanism. The apparatus may further comprise a second processing station downstream from the first processing station that performs a second operation on the articles while in the predetermined position, the first and second operations being coordinated with one another. In another preferred embodiment, the first and second processing stations can be first and second printers that print first and second component images on the articles in registration with one another to form a composite image.
An illustrative method for transporting and processing a plurality of articles comprises introducing a plurality of articles into a plurality of pockets formed between adjacent carrier bars, clamping the articles between the carrier bars so as to laterally, longitudinally and rotationally position the articles within the pockets at a predetermined position, at least a portion of the articles being exposed, and performing a first operation on the exposed portion of the articles while in the predetermined position. The invention also contemplates an article, an edible article and a shaped edible article made according to this method.
According to other illustrative embodiments, a shaped edible article comprises a surface having at least one non-planar portion including at least first and second image areas adapted to receive a composite image. A first component image of the composite image is formed on the first image area using a first printer defining a printing plane spaced from the first and second image areas at variable distances due to the non-planar surface of the first and second image areas. The first component image comprises an edible ink of a first color. A second component image of the composite image is formed on the second image area using a second printer in the printing plane and positioned downstream of the first printer, the second component image comprising an edible ink of a second color different from the first color. The first component image is formed adjacent and in registration with the second component image to form the composite image regardless of the variable distances by which the first and second printing areas are spaced from the printing plane. The shaped edible article may also be a non-edible article.
These and other objects and aspects in the invention will be described in or apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of the present invention.
Illustrative embodiments of the present invention will be described in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:
After the dispenser 16 dispenses the articles to the conveyer loop 12, the articles are transported past one or more processing stations 18 and 20. The processing stations may be drilling stations, printing stations or any other process which can be applied to modify the appearance and/or shape of the articles. The processing stations 18 or 20 perform first and second processes on the articles which are coordinated with another. For example, the first processing station 18 may be a first printer and the second processing station 20 may be a second printer that serially print component images of a composite image on the articles in registered relationship with one another. The processing stations 18 and 20 are located on a portion of the conveyer loop 12 which is substantially linear or not less than a predetermined radius of curvature. The conveyer loop 12 transports the article past the sprocket 14B where the articles are released into a drop-off bin 22 or other suitable post processing receptacles, such as a blistered package, etc. The conveyer loop 12 follows this cycle to pick up additional articles from the dispenser 16.
As shown in
As shown in
The clamping effect of the adjacent carrier bars 24 maintains the articles A in the predetermined position between the first and second printing stations 18" and 20". Each offset roller 44 forms a component image on the article A. Each offset roller 44 defines a printing plane P which is spaced at variable distances from the surface of the articles A due to the non-planar surfaces of the articles A. This makes it especially difficult to print first and second component images in registered relationship with one another on the article. The present invention solves this problem by precisely positioning the articles within the pockets 28 and maintaining the articles A within the pockets 28 such that they are in a fixed lateral, longitudinal and rotational position. For example, the circumference or edge e of the articles is spaced at a distance b below the printing plane P while the top t of the article A is spaced at a distance a above the printing plane P. The distances a and b are selected depending on the size, curvature and the size of the printing area of the articles A.
While the embodiments disclosed herein are preferred, it will be appreciated from these teachings that various alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be made by those skilled in the art, which are within the spirit of the scope of the present disclosure.
Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
7849792, | Aug 07 2006 | KBA-MEPRINT AG | System for printing passing objects |
8141697, | Apr 03 2009 | Ackley Machine Corporation | Method and apparatus for transporting caplets |
8220619, | Oct 20 2009 | Ackley Machine Corporation | Method and apparatus for transporting pellet-shaped articles |
9081120, | Jan 17 2012 | ION Geophysical Corporation; LAITRAM, L L C | Apparatus and method for low-tension retrieval of instrumented marine cables |
D603885, | Apr 03 2009 | Ackley Machine Corporation | Carrier bar |
D656972, | Oct 20 2009 | Ackley Machine Corporation | Carrier bar |
D713866, | Apr 18 2012 | Ackley Machine Corporation | Carrier bar |
D725163, | Apr 18 2012 | Ackley Machine Corporation | Carrier bar |
Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
1400124, | |||
1755456, | |||
2102808, | |||
2105400, | |||
2203079, | |||
2298955, | |||
237074, | |||
2682253, | |||
2687085, | |||
2785786, | |||
2825278, | |||
2929320, | |||
3272159, | |||
3363804, | |||
3439520, | |||
3601041, | |||
3613865, | |||
3868902, | |||
3889591, | |||
4027054, | Oct 20 1975 | AT & T TECHNOLOGIES, INC , | Apertured belt conveying |
4149623, | Jun 09 1976 | American Chain & Cable Company, Inc. | Overhead conveyor system |
4168321, | Apr 27 1977 | Hamada Foods Chemical Industries Co., Ltd. | Press-formed tablet-shape sweets |
4308942, | Oct 29 1979 | Single drum material orientation apparatus and method | |
4373437, | Dec 19 1980 | Deco Coatings Corporation; Carl Strutz & Company, Inc. | Apparatus to supply articles for printing |
4479429, | Mar 22 1982 | Yoshino America Corporation | Multi-color printing apparatus of surfaces of bodies of rotation |
4672892, | Jul 07 1982 | Apparatus for conveying and marking pellet-shaped articles | |
4905589, | Feb 06 1987 | Ink-jet system for marking pellet-shaped articles | |
5433146, | Feb 06 1987 | Apparatus and method for marking pellet-shaped articles | |
5586642, | Nov 26 1994 | BWI KartridgPak Co. | Conveyor systems |
5655453, | Feb 06 1987 | Method and apparatus for marking pellet shaped articles | |
5768996, | Feb 06 1987 | Method for maximizing loading efficiency of pellet shaped articles | |
5800601, | Nov 06 1995 | Marconi Data Systems Inc | Food grade jet inks |
5836243, | Feb 06 1987 | Carrier bar having contoured pockets and/or scalloped edges for conveying pellet shaped articles | |
5878658, | Dec 01 1997 | Ackley Machine Corporation | Apparatus and method for marking two sides of a pellet-shaped article |
6085627, | Jul 23 1997 | FXI, INC | Apparatus for cutting a cellular polymer surface with multiple continuous platforms |
807541, | |||
883563, | |||
958252, | |||
CA928569, | |||
EP734655, | |||
EP739957, | |||
EP919377, | |||
GB1007705, | |||
GB1119302, | |||
GB21221, | |||
GB2186782, | |||
GB22140, | |||
GB2230686, | |||
JP10129104, | |||
JP2122975, | |||
JP2220881, | |||
JP2239972, | |||
JP248227, | |||
JP2605250, | |||
JP3162988, | |||
JP361145005, | |||
JP48103787, | |||
JP4946848, | |||
JP4952009, | |||
JP4973223, | |||
JP4980219, | |||
JP5076905, | |||
JP5470417, | |||
JP55164164, | |||
JP5523955, | |||
JP5682255, | |||
JP57058850, | |||
JP57100071, | |||
JP585285, | |||
JP59145184, | |||
JP60182143, | |||
JP60192537, | |||
JP61279556, | |||
JP62119232, | |||
JP62138279, | |||
JP63198533, | |||
JP640007, | |||
JP6416678, | |||
JP717018, | |||
JP781050, | |||
JP8176, | |||
JP8300620, | |||
JP939366, | |||
WO8805725, | |||
WO8808254, | |||
WO9716075, | |||
WO9727759, |
Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Oct 03 2001 | Ackley Machine Corporation | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
Jul 22 2010 | Ackley Machine Corporation | SUSQUEHANNA BANK | SECURITY INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 025192 | /0203 |
Date | Maintenance Fee Events |
Jun 23 2008 | M2551: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 4th Yr, Small Entity. |
May 23 2012 | M2552: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 8th Yr, Small Entity. |
Jan 08 2016 | M2553: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 12th Yr, Small Entity. |
Date | Maintenance Schedule |
Dec 28 2007 | 4 years fee payment window open |
Jun 28 2008 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Dec 28 2008 | patent expiry (for year 4) |
Dec 28 2010 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 4) |
Dec 28 2011 | 8 years fee payment window open |
Jun 28 2012 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Dec 28 2012 | patent expiry (for year 8) |
Dec 28 2014 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 8) |
Dec 28 2015 | 12 years fee payment window open |
Jun 28 2016 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Dec 28 2016 | patent expiry (for year 12) |
Dec 28 2018 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 12) |